Reasons for Optimism

[CEN-CAL17]

2 minutes ago, transient said:

# whatever - Frazier’s contract is up and so far there’s no word of an extension 

I would bring in some young blood!!!

 

Bring in Jim Leonard!!!! His name is being thrown around in the NFL as a DC next year. DC in Wisconsin and Intern HC this past season 

[Buffalo716]

20 minutes ago, DapperCam said:

People are just excited for the possibility of getting bounced in the first round of the playoffs, lol. Not too different from the Bills when they made it with Tyrod.

Idk how it got posted in this thread it was for the cup thread 

 

that’s why I deleted it

 

go bills and Sabres!

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

9) Dorsey should improve as OC with a year of playcalling experience under his belt

[TheBeaneBandit]

1 hour ago, DapperCam said:

This place is frankly depressing, so put any reasons to be optimistic about next season for the Bills here.

 

1. Tre White could very well be back to his regular All Pro self with an offseason of rest and a full training camp.

2. It’s possible we have Hyde and Poyer back there for game 1 next season (we’ll see if Poyer is too expensive, but with his injuries he might not be).

3. Gabe Davis and Ed Oliver will be in contract years next season. They might ball out to get paid.

4. We have Josh Allen, the best QB in the league (or second or third best, point remains).

5. Saffold won’t be playing for us next year. There is no way his replacement isn’t better, even if it’s some third round rookie.

6. Elam, Shakir and Cook will all have longer leashes next season. They could show out in a big way. We saw glimpses all season with them.

7. Von Miller is a machine, you know he will rehab and do everything he can to be 100% for our playoff push next year.

8. We have a first round pick which could become a stud playmaker. We kept our draft capital.

I’m sure there are more, what do you think?

Sounds like a bunch of meh, I doubt it nonsense to be honest.

[Mango]

My “maybe it will all be ok” moment is that we’re a 13-3 team with the QB in place. 
 

I don’t know if we have the horses in the stable but we have a chance. 

[smuvtalker]

58 minutes ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

The inability for both our coordinators to scheme and make the other side of the ball uncomfortable is not Super Bowl caliber!

 

Not not just players…. Coordinators and coaches put them in the best situations to make plays. When McDermott says “their defense wasn’t giving us the looks”…. BS!!! Find stuff that will work to dictate what they are doing on defense.

 

Our Coordinators are playing checkers…

 

These 4 team’s remaining are the best at Chess!!!! It ain’t ever gonna happen with Dorsey or Frazier. They are not on that level. Being that McD accepts it, or continues to hope,or grind a little more says he ain’t the guy either!!!!!

Well said.  I've waited several days before posting to give myself a chance to be more objective/less negative Nancy, but a spade is a spade, and I'm sorry, but I tend to lay more blame at the feet of Frazier/Dorsey than the players, HOWEVER,  I am very much willing to give Dorsey a mulligan on the season with him being a first year play caller.  I would even go as far as to say he did show some flashes of creativity as well as some days where I thought he called a good overall game, especially with his ability to mix in the run effectively,  as well as get more touches for Cook, particularly after he began to improve as the season progressed.  But he still deserves his share of blame.  

But FRAZIER? I sincerely apologize for beating this dead horse to death even further, but gentleman, in my sincerest, most humble opinion,  his time here in Buffalo needs to rest in peace.  Do I have a viable solution at this present moment? Aside from a snide, sarcastic remark, I do not.  But the man's lack of creativity,  his refusal to adjust even remotely to ANYTHING an offense throws at him bewilders me. To me it almost comes off as sheer defiance.  And our players are the ones who have to pay the price for it.  I've actually given up praying that some poor GM is desperate enough to give this man a head coaching job, and we actually receive a 3rd rounder.  

I am grateful for all Coach Frazier has done for our team.  He seems to be a stand up guy, the players love him, and I wish him nothing but the best, but for the love of the Sweet Pickle Book Club, please let's get a new, fresh(yes young) defensive mind on the headset.  Please.

[LOVEMESOMEBILLS]

1 hour ago, Gunsgoodtime said:

Agreed.  Josh Allen.  Can't think of much else with the way they have handled the roster.

 

 I can agree that there's some blame to go around for some of the draft picks for sure. There's no deny that.

 

 But this team looks alot different if Hyde, Von & Poyer don't get hurt and Tre makes it back to, let's say 90% of what he used to be. There's 12 All-Pro selections(5-1st team) between them for a reason. Another big bonus to Hyde not getting hurt would've been the Hamlin injury never happens.

 

 Give Cincy their 3 starting OL and give us those players back, that's a totally different game. Not only on a talent level, but being able to run much more complex schemes in the secondary with Hyde, Poyer & White all playing together again(Hasn't happened since Thanksgiving 2021😳) and Von rushing the passer.

 

 

 

[US Egg]

Not an optimistic analogy, but next season a baby step assessment might be in order.
 

One step at a time, hoping to see them upright, going forward, not stumbling down scrambling to get up.

 

But hard to imagine they will not be playing along with the big kids once playoffs start.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

[78thealltimegreat]

Oh there’s like a 100 reasons…

1. Even with tough free agent decisions the dline will get Von Miller back.

2. The secondary will get arguably the best safety in football back in Micah Hyde even though his partner may depart I hope not but who knows.

3. Jordan Phillips will get shoulder surgery and be ok so the Dline depth will be solid.

4. Even with Singletary likely going Hines and Cooke isn’t a bad 1-2 punch and a vet can be added easily as RB free agent class is very deep.

5. Davis is in a contract year I’m at the point with his inconsistency that he should pay the Bills to keep him. I mean Josh’s throw hit him right in the hands 🙄.but he needs to ball out to get money.

6. They aren’t in as bad a cap shape as I pointed out in a previous post and can easily clear up cap space for cap problems the up and coming Jaguars are actually in worse shape. 
7. Trey White is in his second year back from his ACL and will now have an entire off season to get caught up to speed not just thrown in after Thanksgiving.

8. The needs of this team aren’t as major as we let on. They need two olinemen, 2WR, maybe a safety, and that’s really the only glaring needs.

9. Despite doom and gloom you have caught the Chiefs winning 2 of the last 3 and the loss last year we won’t talk about…the Bengals are now the new challenge.

10-100 You have Josh Allen. Who in a down year was responsible for over 5000 total yards of offense and 42 touchdowns. 

[Southern_Bills]

2 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

The inability for both our coordinators to scheme and make the other side of the ball uncomfortable is not Super Bowl caliber!

 

Not not just players…. Coordinators and coaches put them in the best situations to make plays. When McDermott says “their defense wasn’t giving us the looks”…. BS!!! Find stuff that will work to dictate what they are doing on defense.

 

Our Coordinators are playing checkers…

 

These 4 team’s remaining are the best at Chess!!!! It ain’t ever gonna happen with Dorsey or Frazier. They are not on that level. Being that McD accepts it, or continues to hope,or grind a little more says he ain’t the guy either!!!!!

 

Exactly my thoughts, I don't care about the talent, the Bills are talented enough player personnel wise.

 

I have zero faith in the coaches to put them in the best position to win. We will make the playoffs and get outcoached by the better teams. 

 

I'll get optimistic when the search for new coordinators start.

[Coffeesforclosers]

1 hour ago, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

9) Dorsey should improve as OC with a year of playcalling experience under his belt

 

I just finished watching Cover 1's film room on the Bengals game.  Dorsey just has to develop a screen game, a short & quick yardage passing game, hot reads for blitz packages, and scheming players open.  The Bengals didn't just have answers for the Bills tendencies, they also anticipated how the Bills would respond to the Bengals' gameplan, then gameplanned for that too.  Josh doing Superman ***** was the only reason parts of it looked like an NFL football game.

 

It really shook my faith in Dorsey, and turned me on to the idea of ditching Kromer and bringing Greg Roman in as the OL coach. 

Edited January 25, 2023 by Coffeesforclosers

[Poleshifter]

2 hours ago, CEN-CAL17 said:

& 4

#4 Jaquan Johnson - a reason for optimism? What, that he will play somewhere else?

 

Yikes

[Yantha]

Allen, Diggs, Miller.  Top tier.

 

Despite the poor showing in the playoffs, the defense was very good.  Excellent really more often than not.

 

Great reasons for optimism.

 

I think that Shakir is going to be one of the better WR's on this team for a long time as well.  Flashes of brilliance in a rookie year, and I think he will take a major step forward next season.

 

Not sure what happened to Gabe Davis, but he's also GOT to rebound next season (in a contract year as someone mentioned above).

 

Management has been vocal about the issue with the "trenches", so a heavy investment in draft and $ capital could give Allen more time (i.e. less mistakes), and and better clock control (with a boost to the run game).

 

 

[CEN-CAL17]

12 minutes ago, Poleshifter said:

#4 Jaquan Johnson - a reason for optimism? What, that he will play somewhere else?

 

Yikes

James Cook! Jaquan will be gone and Cook will take his number back.

 

I see Cook adding nearly 10 Lbs this offseason getting to roughly 207. I can’t wait to see what this kid does, especially if the Bills invest in OL.

[Nelius]

We've shown a pretty terrible lack of ability to develop players. Just look at our d-line. But, putting that aside, I'm excited about Cook, Shakir, and Groot in a void. Chances aren't very good unfortunately that they'll take a leap, but they could. We need somebody to make a tremendous leap next year. Baby stepping into a role player isn't going to cut it.

[PrimeTime101]

My optimism will come with a better proven track record DC and OC. If you keep Dorsey, Hire a Co OC asst head coach.  Put Dorsey on Training wheels and McD needs to let the next DC run on his system with a little bit of incorporation of MCD

 

[Dr.Sack]

I put the the reason for optimism entirely on Dorsey year 2, Coach McD dialing it all in, and Josh Allen making a massive improvement in his game above his shoulders this offseason.  
 

Bills Home Opponents 2023

New England Patriots W 

Miami Dolphins W 

New York Jets W 

Las Vegas Raiders W 

Denver Broncos W 

New York Giants W 

Dallas Cowboys W 

Jacksonville Jaguars W 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 

 

Bills Away Opponents 2023

New England Patriots W

Miami Dolphins W

New York Jets L

Kansas City Chiefs W 

Los Angeles Chargers W 

Washington Commanders W 

Philadelphia Eagles L

Cincinnati Bengals L

 

Home 9-0 (London, Detroit wherever)

Away 5-3 

 

I see the Jets as our #1 competitor in the AFCE. I see us splitting the home and away. The Jets 2023 season rests on their chances to acquire a QB. I do not see them overcoming the Bills with anyone outside of Lamar Jackson who the Ravens are highly unlikely to trade.
 

Miami has a MVP caliber part-time QB when healthy. I assume the NFL will make us play another early road game in the heat to make things extra hard and add to the intrigue.

 

New England is lost with Mac Jones. Belichick will not abandon his golden boy. 

 

KC will soon realize Kelce at 34 is not the same player he was in 2018.

 
The Bengals game will be personal and I see the Bills falling short but in more competitive fashion. 

 

 

[ngbills]

4 hours ago, JMM said:

We have Josh. Period. As long as we have him, a potential HOF, we will always have a possibility of getting it done. That's how it works in the NFL.

This is the only reality of the 8. The rest are all wishful thinking. We said much of the same this year and the year before. Gabe is gonna busy out, could not get worse than Williams and feliciano, we have so much rookie talent, and on. Reality is it’s on Josh and he needs some help or it’s a roll of the dice again.

[AlfaBill]

3 hours ago, smuvtalker said:

Well said.  I've waited several days before posting to give myself a chance to be more objective/less negative Nancy, but a spade is a spade, and I'm sorry, but I tend to lay more blame at the feet of Frazier/Dorsey than the players, HOWEVER,  I am very much willing to give Dorsey a mulligan on the season with him being a first year play caller.  I would even go as far as to say he did show some flashes of creativity as well as some days where I thought he called a good overall game, especially with his ability to mix in the run effectively,  as well as get more touches for Cook, particularly after he began to improve as the season progressed.  But he still deserves his share of blame.  

But FRAZIER? I sincerely apologize for beating this dead horse to death even further, but gentleman, in my sincerest, most humble opinion,  his time here in Buffalo needs to rest in peace.  Do I have a viable solution at this present moment? Aside from a snide, sarcastic remark, I do not.  But the man's lack of creativity,  his refusal to adjust even remotely to ANYTHING an offense throws at him bewilders me. To me it almost comes off as sheer defiance.  And our players are the ones who have to pay the price for it.  I've actually given up praying that some poor GM is desperate enough to give this man a head coaching job, and we actually receive a 3rd rounder.  

I am grateful for all Coach Frazier has done for our team.  He seems to be a stand up guy, the players love him, and I wish him nothing but the best, but for the love of the Sweet Pickle Book Club, please let's get a new, fresh(yes young) defensive mind on the headset.  Please.

This is quote of the day. 

Edited January 25, 2023 by AlfaBill